The Asian Golf Industry Federation’s (AGIF) rapidly expanding Certificate in Greenkeeping (CIG) programme will launch in the Philippines this year.
“We’re excited to be able to add the Philippines to the growing list of countries that are embracing the Certificate in Greenkeeping,” said Richard Walne, Chairman of the AGIF’s CIG committee.
The Philippines will be the sixth country to welcome The R&A-backed CIG since its introduction in 2018, following India, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Speaking at last week’s 9th Philippine Golf Course Management Conference at Orchard Golf & Country Club, Walne said: “The AGIF, together with The R&A, our education provider New Zealand Sports Turf Institute (NZSTI), and our sponsors – Jacobsen, Jebsen & Jessen, John Deere, Syngenta and Toro – are all proud of the impact that the CIG programme continues to have across the region.
“We congratulate the Orchard Golf & Country Club and all those involved in organising this Philippine Golf Course Management Conference on achieving a record attendance of 180 participants from more than 40 golf clubs around the country.
“We thank them also for providing the Asian Golf Industry Federation with the opportunity to spread the word about the Certificate in Greenkeeping.”
To date, the total number of students who have enrolled in the programme has broken through the 165-barrier with attendance from individuals from clubs in 12 countries – Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE and Vietnam.
AGIF President Chris Gray, who delivered a presentation on Sustainable Golf and Agronomy at the Philippines conference, said: “From the outset, it’s been the intention of the Federation and The R&A to expand the reach of the CIG.
“We thank all those who have made it possible for us now to bring this programme to the Philippines and look forward to seeing the CIG contribute to the further raising of the profile and standards of greenkeeping in the country.”
The CIG programme is crafted for golf course staff who may not have formal education related to the knowledge and skills required to operate safely and efficiently as a greenkeeper on a golf course.
The blended workplace learning allows the learners to apply the technical skills and processes learned to a variety of turf situations under the supervision of a qualified workplace supervisor.
The CIG is staged in three segments:
· Introductory Course: One five-day course covering Module 1: Golf Course Ecology | Module 2: Lead Greenkeeping Staff.
· Progression Course: One five-day course, after four months into the programme, covering Module 3: Surface Management on the Golf Course | Module 4: Rootzone and Soil Water Management on the Golf Course | Module 5: Manage Golf Course Pests and Diseases.
· Confirmation Course: One three-day course at the completion of the programme which involves practical and written assessments, and oral presentations.
For the CIG’s first Philippines intake there will be a limit of 20 students on a first come-first serve basis. Dates and venues for the three CIG courses in the Philippines will be announced shortly.
*For further information about the Certificate in Greenkeeping programme or to express your interest in being part of the first CIG intake in the Philippines, please visit https://agif.asia/certificate-in-greenkeeping/ or email PK Ong, Greenkeeping Education Manager at the Asian Golf Industry Federation, at pkong@agif.asia
